Wrench socket retainer



Dec. 6, 1949 R. J. SCHAEDLER WRENCH SOCKET RETAINER Filed Jan. 22, 1946WVG H101, @www db2/M5045@ #Wwf/5, Maw

N MAW/1A Patented Dec. 6, 1949 WRENCH S O'CKET RETAI-NEB.

Application January.=22, 19416, SeriaIfNo.2642,689

ALClninrl. .(Cl. 27.9eel9r) This invention relates to retainers forsecur ing a wrenchnooket .in "operative position on the tool head ofapoweroperated Wrench, p articularly a wrench of the impact type.

Power operated Wrenches of the impact type comprise atool head,rthelower-oriorward portion of ,which is provided `with a polygonalextensionwhich slidably engages a socketaiQrmed to'cooperate With thedriven `pieceusually .-a nut orgbolt. The rotary motion of the toolfheadis.,transmitted through thesncket to thefdr-i-ven piece. Such motionderives from a reversible airmotor, which is controlled to-rotatefclock-Wise to-run in a right threaded-piece or-torun out a.left threaded piecean,d. .eountereli0ckwise torun ina left threaded piece and to-,run-out aright threaded piece.

Arranged between the air motor and the tool head is a clutch hammerassembly. During the free running period when the driven piece oiersrelatively light resistance, the clutch may impart continuous andsubstantially uniform rotation to the tool head. But the clutch isdesigned to respond to the torque requirements of the driven piece, andunder conditions of excessive tortional resistance, particularly afterthe seating of the driven piece when there is an abrupt increase ofresistance, the clutch operates to effect a series of disengagements andimpacts by hammer elements upon the anvil portions of the f tool head. Amotor driven wrench provided with such a clutch arrangement is disclosedin Patent No. 2,285,638, granted June 9, 1942 to Lester A. Amtsberg.

The socket detachably ts the end of the tool head, and on account of theheavy duty to which the device is subjected, play will develop betweenthe socket and the head. This usually results in a tendency for theseelements to disengage.

It is an object of this invention to provide a retainer to preventlongitudinal or axial movement of the socket on the tool head whichmight result in accidental disengagement therebetween.

A further object is the provision of a retainer easily and rapidlyengageable with, or disengageable from, the socket when the latter isattached to, or detached from, the tool head.

A feature of the invention resides in a swivel i connection between theretainer and tool head, or between the retainer and socket, or both.

Other objects and features will appear more clearly from the descriptionof the invention which follows:

v:ln theaccompanying.drawingfwhich-Lillustrates one embodiments@ethejinvcntion, .andiin which like-.reference @characters .f designate:like fpartsr ig. 1.SfazvieW-:Qftheonwardor lower por-.tionfof'theMembern@ socket,thezretainern .its prcferredorm, andrasnanaringzbeng ,in longitudinalzsection. ...and utherorward portion ofthe tool zhead; and :housingfbeng1in-elevation;

-fFia 2 is longitudinal Sectional View ,of :the retainer; A`.and

.Fig,,3 is.abottomfplanwiewrofftne retainer- Figa 2andfarefdrawnfto.-aclareersoalethan Fia l.

In `the.:illustrative embodiment -of .the invention ,(Fig- .12., Ja tool@head rl 3 is :supported fior rotation intneafrontorflower end Oiawrench housing I4. The tool head has a cylindrical shank I5 whichterminates in a square projection I6 to nt and drive a correspondingapertured socket I'I. The socket Il is adapted for engagement with thedriven piece (not shown), usually a nut or bolt.

To retain the socket I1 upon the tool head by preventing it from slidingtherefrom, the retainer I8 is provided. The retainer is preferably madeof steel, although any suitable metallic alloy or plastic compound maybe used. The retainer comprises a sleeve I9, the wall of which turnsinwardly at its upper portion to form a shoulder 2B and then turnsupwardly to form a tubular projection 2I the interior shape and size ofwhich conforms to the shank portion I5 of the tool head so as to eiect asliding engagement therewith.

The periphery of the tool head shank I5 is formed with an annular groove22 adjacent its lower end. A snap ring 23 is provided for seating in thegroove, the ring being of suiiiciently large cross section so that theoutside diameter of the ring, in seated position, shall be somewhatgreater than the inside diameter of the upward projection of theretainer. After the retainer has been mounted upon the tool head shankI5, the snap ring is disposed into position in the groove, therebysecuring the retainer against axial movement downwardly along the toolhead shank I5.

The lower portion or sleeve I9 of the retainer is of somewhat largerinternal diameter than the outside diameter of the top face of thesocket and it is formed with spaced longitudinal slits 24 to provideresiliency. The sleeve is also formed with an inward annular crimp 25,the inside diameter of the sleeve measured at the crest of the crimpbeing somewhat less than the outside diameter of the top face of thesocket. The socket has a peripheral recess 26 adjacent its upper end.Accordingly, as the socket is forced upwardly into position upon thetool head, after the retainer has been mounted as hereinabove described,the sleeve will yield outwardly as the head of the. socket is moved pastthe crimp, but will be urged back to normal position by the resiliencyof the sleeve, thus providing for retaining the socket againstlongitudinal movement upon the tool head shank. As the socket reachesseating position upon the tool head, the peripheral recess 26 will bedisposed opposite the crimp, and the sleeve sections will press inwardlyagainst the recess in the socket with suilcient force to preventlongitudinal movement of the socket on the tool head under conditions ofordinary operative usage. Such inward pressure, however, will allow forthe manual removal of the socket.

In the embodiment shown the engagement of the retainer with the socketis yieldable only, and the engagement between the retainer and the toolhead is likewise yieldable only. Upon any stopping or abrupt retardationof rotation of the tool head and socket because of a sudden increase ofresistance, as when the driven piece is seated, the retainer, due to itsinertia, will continue to rotate with reference to the tool head andsocket, acting as a swivel. Such swivelling arrangement avoids torsionalstrains upon the retainer such as would result if any portionof thesleeve were in xed engagement with the wrench and subject to abruptaction.

The socket can be readily attached to or detached from the tool headwith a simple push or pull on the socket. Thus the invention isadvantageous over the conventional pin retainer ar- 4 rangement whichrequires a considerable time for the removal of the pin.

What is claimed is:

In combination, the tool head of a rotatable power tool having anexterior annular groove, a socket member mounted thereon to rotate lnunison therewith and having an exterior peripheral recess, retainermeans for maintaining the socket on the tool head comprising a sleeve,said sleeve being adapted at one end to engage the tool head in swivelrelation, and adapted at the other end to engage the socket in swivelrelationship by means of an inward annular crimp which engages with theperipheral recess of the socket, said latter end having a plurality ofslits to provide yieldability for the insertion of the socket underslight pressure, and a ring means mounted in the tool head groove andarranged to maintain the sleeve on the tool head.

RAYMOND J. SCHAEDLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 952,570 Lamb Mar. 22, 19101,220,100 Haeseler Mar. 20, 1917 1,462,293 Mason July 17, 1923 1,801,577Stevens Apr. 21, 1931 1,847,843 McKeagan Mar. 1, 1932 1,882,520 PollardOct. 11, 1932 1,982,278 Allen Nov. 27, 1934 2,154,651 Wodack Apr. 18,1939 2,410,600 Cowles Nov. 5, 1946

